February 27, 2012

The Pension Enhancement Plan (PEP) is a one-time incentive for Early Retirement Incentive Program (ERIP) eligible employees of $5,000.00 per year for full-time certified and classified employees with an effective Virginia Retirement System (VRS) retirement date of July 1, 2012, August 1, 2012, or September 1, 2012. Pittsylvania County Schools (PCS) will pay this pension enhancement amount until the applicant either reaches the age to receive full Social Security benefits or for seven (7) years, whichever comes first. Applications for the PEP incentive program will be accepted until the close of business on Friday, March 2, 2012. You may download an application by clicking on the following link:
http://www.pcs.k12.va.us/supt-minutes/2011-2012/retirement-feb27-minutes.pdf

 
Last week, the State Board of Education voted to ask the U.S. Department of Education (USED) for a waiver from provisions of the 10-year-old federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law that have resulted in the misidentification as failing of successful and improving Virginia schools. If approved, the waiver would allow the Commonwealth to merge State and federal requirements into a single accountability system. Virginia schools and school divisions would no longer have to meet increasingly unrealistic Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) benchmarks in reading and mathematics, nor the law’s mandate that all students achieve grade-level proficiency by 2014. Currently, Virginia schools receive two (2) annual accountability ratings: a State accreditation rating and a federal AYP rating under NCLB. School divisions also receive an AYP rating. Under the system outlined in the Board’s waiver application, schools would continue to receive annual State accreditation ratings based on overall achievement in English, mathematics, science and history, as they have since 1999 under Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOL) program. Annual report cards would include a “dashboard” graphically illustrating progress toward closing proficiency gaps. The enhanced reporting would focus on the following “gap” groups:

• Gap group 1: Students with disabilities, English-language learners and economically disadvantaged students

• Gap group 2: African-American students, not of Hispanic origin, not already included in gap group 1

• Gap group 3: Hispanic students, of one or more races, not already included in gap group 1 or 2

State officials indicate that the new report cards will clearly show which schools are not making progress in raising the achievement of historically low-performing student subgroups to State standards.

Emergency Services Director Jim Davis announces that the Pittsylvania County Department of Emergency Management and the Pittsylvania County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is accepting registrations for “Skywarn” training. The class will be held in Chatham, Virginia, at the Pittsylvania County School Board Educational and Cultural Center (ECC) auditorium (37 Pruden Street, Chatham, Virginia).

• There must be at least fifty (50) participants for this class.

• There is no charge for registration.

• Class will begin on March 26, 2012, from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

• To register for this class, please visit: http://www.pittcert.org/registration/skywarn.html or please call (434) 432-7920, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

The following information is courtesy of the National Weather Service regarding the Skywarn program: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/skywarn/.

Thus far, my experiences in Pittsylvania County Schools’ classrooms have been interesting, enlightening and engaging. Although my visits have resulted in “snapshots” of what is taking place in the classrooms, there are certain fundamental instructional practices that I am focusing on during these “walk-through” visits.

• Do the students know what they are learning?

• Are students activating their prior knowledge?

• Are students provided think time?

• Do students actively participate in their learning?

• Is the learning objective posted and understood by the students?

• Are measurements being used to assess learning?

• What is the engagement level of the students?

• Does the classroom environment contribute to student learning?

• Is the use of technology being successfully integrated into the instructional program?

This week I have the pleasure of visiting:

• Chatham Elementary School on Wednesday, February 29, 2012, from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 Noon.

• Southside Elementary School on Thursday, March 1, 2012, from 12:00 Noon until 3:00 p.m.